1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to damper devices for dampening the opening of an openable object such as a door, ashtray, chest or the like relative to a main body. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved damper assembly of a unique construction which includes anti-rattle tracking means for preventing rattling and play when a sliding part is moved in and out of a stationary housing by a damper device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is generally known in the art, if an openable object is allowed to move too freely relative to its main body, play and rattle will be produced therebetween which creates an unpleasing effect. Further, when the openable object is a sliding ashtray installed in the dashboard of an automotive vehicle, such play and rattle may cause the contents therein to be tossed or scattered all over the passenger, seat and floor of the vehicle. In order to avoid this type of problem, attempts have been made heretofore by utilizing a large amount of friction between the openable object and the main body so as to eliminate such play and rattle. However, this solution is unsatisfactory in a dampened system type of design since the damper device is required to be driven by a low force damped spring assembly in order to effect a slow and smooth consistent movement of the sliding part. As a result, there is needed a high amount of variable force so as to pull the sliding part from the stationary part.
There is also known in the prior art a damper device having a "push-push" type of locking device formed by means of a heart-shaped cam part, a follower pin, and a retaining clip as is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,103 to Patrick J. Bowden et al. issued on Aug. 14, 1990, which is assigned to the same assignee as in the present invention. In FIG. 4 of the '103 patent which is hereby incorporated by reference, the follower pin 24 has a first leg portion 58 which is retained within the V-shaped portion 52 of the cam part 22 so as to lock the piston rod 14 in a closed position within the interior of the body member. In order to release the piston rod from the closed position, the piston rod must be pushed slightly to move it further into the body member. However, if the piston rod is pulled instead of being pushed, the first leg portion 58 of the follower pin 24 will be forced downwardly into the cam part area and the second leg portion 60 of the pin will be forced upwardly out of the small aperture 64. As a result, the follower pin 24 will become disassembled and thus non-functional.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,167 to S. Kimura et al. issued on Dec. 16, 1986, there is disclosed a piston-cylinder type damper which includes a cylinder 11 connected to either a main body or an openable object, and a piston 12 connected to the other one of the pair of components comprising the main body and the openable object and adapted to fit into the cylinder 11. The piston 12 incorporates therein a check valve 16 adapted to allow the air in the cylinder to escape from the cylinder interior while the piston is driven into the cylinder by the movement of the openable object. On the other hand, when the piston is being withdrawn from the cylinder the check valve is kept closed thereby creating the dampening action.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a damper assembly of a unique construction like that of the present invention which includes anti-rattle tracking means so as to prevent play and rattle when the sliding part is moved into and out of the stationary part by a damper device. It would also be expedient to provide the damper device used in the damper assembly with a fail-safe locking means so as to maintain the assembly of the locking means regardless of either a pushing or pulling motion. The damper assembly of the present invention represents a significant improvement over the dampening devices described in the aforementioned '103 and '167 patents.